Abstract: A method of annotating an item with electronic data is described which comprises securing a memory tag to the item, the memory tag having a memory and a transponder to enable wireless communication with the memory tag, and having an external dimension D. The memory tag is adapted for wireless communication only with a transceiver located within a distance of 10D of the memory tag.

Abstract: A method of monitoring frequency availability for a telecommunications network includes: establishing details of frequency spectrum usage in a database, said details to include one or more of time of use, frequency and geographic area of use; and providing query means for the database, to allow the contents of the database to be queried.

Abstract: A communication system comprising notification means arranged to locate a mobile unit and to transmit a notification to said mobile unit via a first telecommunication network when said mobile unit moves within the vicinity of an access node of a second network.

Abstract: Access to a wireless data network to nodes located in a defined operational area is limited by transmitting a network signal within the defined operational area while transmitting a wave that can cause destructive interference with the network signal into a prohibited area adjacent to the defined operational area. The wave that can cause destructive interference is produced by phase and/or amplitude modulating the network signal. The modulation of the network signal includes sweeping the phase and/or amplitude.

Abstract: An annotation is recorded on to an electronic storage medium for inclusion within a storage device which is selectively engageable with an arbitrary physical object. This engagement can be provided by a number of conventional means: a spring loaded clip (particularly suitable for engagement with objects), a weakly adhesive surface, or a magnetic element. The annotation may then be read from the sound storage device while it remains engaged with such an arbitrary object using an appropriate further device. This arrangement is particularly appropriate for annotation of documents with sound, and thus allows sound passages to be used in a very versatile fashion, particularly for annotation and messaging.

Abstract: Businesses may offer their services not only through internet websites but also by short-range wireless portals (51A,B,C) intended to catch passers-by; indeed, this latter means of business promotion may be used instead of an internet site. A method is provided of gathering information from such portals (51A,B,C) for use in a database service system 40. More particularly, a mobile device (20) provided with a short-range wireless receiver (21) is moved within range of such a portal and collects information about the services available from the local entity operating the portal. The device (20) then uses a cellular radio network (10) to send this information, together with location data about the portal, to a remote database service system (40) holding similar information from other portals. The user of the mobile device can be credited with a reward by the database service system for collecting such information.

Abstract: A signal quality parameter in a wireless network supporting plural network user devices is measured. Each user device measures a predetermined signal quality parameter of signals received from each of the other user devices in the network. Each user device broadcasts the measurements to other user devices in the network. Each user device calculates, for each of the other user devices, a value for the predetermined signal quality parameter from all the received measurements associated with that other user device.

Abstract: A distributed telemetry method is effected by coordinating the taking of readings of a parameter by mobile phone users, the parameter readings being then sent to a service system together with location information on the users. Collating the readings and location information enables a representation to be generated of the geographic variation of the measured parameter. Incentives can be offered to encourage cell phone users to participate in the telemetry method.

Abstract: The proximity of potential customers to a shop is detected, for example, by detecting short-range communication devices carried by passers-by. The interests of the detected passers-by are then determined by reference to specific interests transmitted by the passer-by devices and/or by reference to customer profile data. The discovered interests of the current passers-by are then used to select content for display on a shop-window electronic display during a next display slot. Passers-by who may be particularly interested in the displayed content are preferably sent an alert. In other embodiments, the targeted audience is a static group, such as train passengers, with the targeted information being displayed at a station.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of controlling a proximity transaction between first and second communications devices, each of which is provided with a short-range transceiver. The first communications device has an RF/ID reader, and the second communications device has an RF/ID tag, the RF/ID tag containing the same identifier information as the second communications device. The second communications device is positioned within the range of the reader of the first communications device. Then, the transceiver of the second communications device transmits a transaction request and the identifier information of that device to the first communications device. The reader of the first communications device then interrogates the tag of the second communications device and the transaction is completed upon the reader of the first communications device receiving identifier information from the tag of the second communications device that is identical to the identifier information already received.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device (10, 12, 14, 16) has both short range, piconet, telecommunications ability and long range cellular telecommunications ability. Mobile items of personal property, eg a pair of glasses (18) can be lost by an individual. The telecommunications devices (10, 12, 14, 16) keep an activity log of the times of existence and members of piconets of which they have been members. If a lost item (18) is not in the present piconet (26) of a user's device (10) it can backtrack through its activity log to find the last piconet for which both it and the missing item (18) were members, and can identify from the activity log what other devices (12, 14, 16) were present in that particular piconet. The device (10) can then contact the devices (12, 14, 16) and determine whether the missing item 18 is presently part of their piconet, and hence can locate the missing item if it is present in one of their piconets.

Abstract: In order to restrict access to content data held on a removable data carrier (83) or included in an electronic file, equipment (70) for accessing this content is arranged only to be enabled upon a location condition being satisfied. This condition is tested for by obtaining current-location data (67) representing the current location of the equipment, and comparing the current-location data with authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of the equipment. The authorized location data may be stored in the equipment itself, in a remote system (42), or in the removable data media or received data file.

Abstract: A mobile telephone (10), an advertiser, broadcasts an advertisement over a wireless short range piconet link to another mobile telephone (12), a consumer. The advertisement is broadcast with a predetermined set of classification tags and the consumer phone (12) has a filter set to accept only certain adverts. When an advertisement of interest is received by the consumer phone (12) it requests further details automatically via the piconet link and the advertiser phone (10) provides then automatically via the piconet link. When the consumer wishes to reply to the advertisement they contact the advertiser phone (10), or an advertiser device, via a long range cellular link (16).

Abstract: A mobile telephone (10), an advertiser, broadcasts an advertisement over a wireless short range piconet link to another mobile telephone (12), a consumer. The advertisement is broadcast with a predetermined set of classification tags and the consumer phone (12) has a filter set to accept only certain advertisements. When an advertisement of interest is received by the consumer phone (12) it assesses whether to obtain further details via the piconet link and the advertiser phone (10) provides then automatically via the piconet link. When the consumer wishes to reply to the advertisement they contact the advertiser phone (10), or an advertiser device, via a long range cellular link (16).

Abstract: A mobile telephone (10), an advertiser, broadcasts an advertisement over a wireless short range piconet link to another mobile telephone (12), a consumer. The advertisement is broadcast with a predetermined set of classification tags and the consumer phone (12) has a filter set to accept only certain advertisements. When an advertisement of interest is received by the consumer phone (12) it requests further details automatically via the piconet link and the advertiser phone (10) provides then automatically via the piconet link. When the consumer wishes to reply to the advertisement they contact the advertiser phone (10), or an advertiser device, via a long range cellular link (16). An ASP advertisement broker (48) is interposed between the advertiser phone (10) and the consumer phone (12) for the long range telecommunication link.

Abstract: A method is described for measuring a signal quality parameter in a wireless network supporting a plurality of network user device. Each user device measures a predetermined signal quality parameter of signals received from each of the other user devices in the network. Each user device then broadcasts the measurements so made to said other user devices. Finally, each user device calculates, for each of the other user devices, a value for the predetermined signal quality parameter from all the received measurements associated with that other user device.

Abstract: A method of transferring high rate data between a first communications device (32) and a second communications device (1) is disclosed. The second communications device (1) has a first transceiver (4) for communication with the first communications device (32) at a first, low data rate over a long range, and a second transceiver (2) for communicating at a second, high data rate over a short range. The method comprises the steps of forming a coordinated short-range network (piconet) using the second communications device (1) and a plurality of other similar communications devices (11, 21), transferring a portion of said data to or from the first communications device (32) from or to each of said second communications device and said other communications devices using their first transceivers (2, 12, 22), and transferring said data portions between said other communications devices and the second communications device using their second transceivers (4, 14, 24).

Abstract: A method of transferring high rate data between a first communications device (32) and a second communications device (1) is disclosed. The second communications device (1) has a first transceiver (4) for communication with the first communications device (32) at a first, low data rate over a long range, and a second transceiver (2) for communicating at a second, high data rate over a short range. The method comprises the steps of forming a coordinated short-range network (piconet) using the second communications device (1) and a plurality of other similar communications devices (11, 21), transferring a portion of said data to or from the first communications device (32) from or to each of said second communications device and said other communications devices using their first transceivers (2, 12, 22), and transferring said data portions between said other communications devices and the second communications device using their second transceivers (4, 14, 24).

Abstract: Particular functionality of an item of equipment (70) is enabled upon both a location condition and a personnel condition being satisfied. The location condition is tested for by obtaining current-location data (67) representing the current location of the equipment, and comparing the current-location data with authorized-location data representing a predetermined authorized location or locality for operation of the equipment functionality. The personnel condition is tested for by checking for the presence at or near the equipment of at least one person (77) fitting stored authorized-personnel data (42) that identifies specified person or persons, or a specified grade of person. The location and personnel conditions can be tested for at the equipment (70) or at a remote service system (40).

Abstract: A method is provided of adapting a user interface to the user's current situation. The method involves a user specifying a home-area interface (83), for example, a web browser home page, and an “away” interface (84). When the user connects to a network (10) using a device (20) and calls up his/her browser home page, a determination is made of the location of the device in order to decide which version of the home page is to be served back to the user device by the home-page server of the user. In a preferred embodiment, the “away” home page (84) includes specific types of local data of interest to the user (such as best local restaurants). When asked to provide the “away” home page, the homepage server uses this information to find the URLs of local special interest web sites (122) carrying the relevant type of data, the server inserting these URLs in the “away” home page (84) before providing it to the user device (20) concerned.